Security
NDLEA Arrests Wanted Drug Kingpin Kanmo-Kanmo 12 Years After Killing Three Officers
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested Lekan Jimoh, popularly known as Kanmo-Kanmo, ending a 12-year manhunt linked to the killing of three NDLEA officers in 2014.
The agency said Mr Jimoh was tracked to a hideout in Owode, Ogun State, and arrested on Friday, 16 January 2026, following what it described as “credible intelligence”.
Officers recovered 69 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis, from the location, according to the NDLEA.
The arrest closes one of the agency’s most high-profile cases and revives painful memories of an attack that claimed the lives of three officers during an attempted arrest more than a decade ago.
A case that shaped NDLEA operations
The NDLEA says Mr Jimoh led a drug trafficking network known for violent resistance to law enforcement.
On 15 June 2014, the agency said he mobilised armed thugs who attacked NDLEA operatives attempting to arrest him at his base.
Three officers, including Rabiu Usman Kazaure, were killed in the incident, while Mr Jimoh escaped.
The agency said it never closed the case, despite several failed attempts to arrest him over the years.
Previous escape and forfeited assets
NDLEA operatives said they narrowly missed Mr Jimoh again in August 2023 when they raided his residence in Ado-Odo, Ogun State.
Although he escaped, officers recovered 139 sacks of skunk weighing about 1,922 kilograms.
The house, which the NDLEA said was used as a drug warehouse, was later forfeited to the Federal Government following court proceedings.
Nationwide raids and arrests
The arrest of Mr Jimoh came amid a series of coordinated NDLEA operations across several states.
In Edo State, officers raided a forest in Uzebba, Owan West Local Government Area, arresting a 53-year-old man, Isihor Edika, and seizing 320kg of skunk and cannabis seeds.
In Abuja, a 44-year-old woman, Yinka Agboola, was arrested for allegedly selling drugs online, with officers recovering cannabis, cannabis oil, and other substances from her home in Kaura District.
Another suspect, Tordue Pius Richard, 30, was arrested in the capital with quantities of cocaine and cannabis.
Seizures across Lagos, Enugu, Delta, Oyo, Kwara and Jigawa
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives seized more than 118kg of skunk in Mushin, while another 116kg was recovered from a warehouse in Enugu on the same day.
In Delta State, two suspects were arrested along the Onitsha–Asaba Expressway with hundreds of thousands of pills, including tramadol, diazepam, and codeine syrup.
In Oyo State, several arrests led to the seizure of large quantities of cannabis-based substances and pharmaceutical opioids.
In Kwara State, officers recovered nearly 400kg of skunk from a residential building in Ilorin.
At Apapa Port in Lagos, NDLEA said a joint examination with Customs uncovered more than 157,000 bottles of codeine syrup concealed in a container.
In Jigawa State, an ex-convict, Gaddafi Ammani, was arrested after attempting to escape across rooftops, while allegedly armed with a machete.
NDLEA: “The law may be slow, but it is certain”
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier-General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), described Mr Jimoh’s arrest as “a triumph of justice”.
“You may run, and you may hide for a season, but the long arm of the law will eventually find you,” he said.
Mr Marwa said the arrest was especially significant for the families of the officers killed in 2014.
“For twelve years, this individual lived with the blood of our gallant officers — Rabiu Usman Kazaure and two others — on his hands,” he said.
“This arrest is for the families of those three officers who have waited 12 years for justice.”
Beyond arrests: drug abuse prevention
Alongside enforcement, the NDLEA says it has continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign.
In the past week, officers held sensitisation programmes in schools, religious centres, and communities across Kano, Lagos, Benue, Katsina, and Niger states.
What’s next
NDLEA officials say Mr Jimoh will face prosecution, alongside other suspects arrested nationwide.
The agency says it will sustain both enforcement and prevention efforts, warning that no fugitive is beyond its reach.
The Police Service Commission (PSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting personal data used in policing, as Nigeria increasingly relies on digital tools for law enforcement.
The PSC Chairman, retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police Hashimu Salihu Argungu, made the pledge at the National Data Privacy Summit 2026 in Abuja.
The summit, themed “Privacy in the Era of Emerging Technologies: Trust, Ethics and Innovation,” was organised by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) at the Transcorp Hilton.
Speaking at the event, Argungu said modern policing now depends heavily on data rather than physical surveillance alone.
“In the ongoing recruitment of 50,000 Police Constables and across all our operations, the PSC is dedicated to strict compliance with NDPC policies on data protection,” he said.
He added that safeguarding personal information was essential to maintaining public trust in law enforcement institutions.
Why it matters
Nigeria’s security agencies are collecting more personal data than ever before, from biometric records to digital background checks.
With thousands of new police recruits entering the system, how data is stored, shared and protected has become a growing public concern.
Partnership with data regulators
Mr Argungu praised the NDPC and its National Commissioner, Dr Vincent Olatunji, for what he described as pioneering efforts to strengthen data protection nationwide.
He also reaffirmed the PSC’s ongoing partnership with the NDPC to ensure ethical data management across police operations.
The PSC said this collaboration would help align law enforcement practices with Nigeria’s data protection laws.
What the law says
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission is responsible for enforcing data privacy standards across public and private institutions.
Under existing regulations, organisations that collect personal data must ensure transparency, consent and secure handling of information.
Failure to comply can attract sanctions, fines or legal action.
What’s next
The PSC says it will continue integrating ethical data practices into recruitment, promotions and disciplinary processes.
Officials say further training and compliance audits are expected as Nigeria deepens its use of digital policing tools.
About the Police Service Commission
The Police Service Commission is a federal executive body empowered to appoint, promote and discipline police officers in Nigeria, except the Inspector-General of Police.
Its mandate is derived from the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Police Service Commission Establishment Act of 2001.
Nigeria’s cybercrime war is gaining global attention after the United Nations praised a police unit that recovered billions of naira and cracked major international fraud networks.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has praised the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) for what it described as a strong and growing impact in the fight against cybercrime in Nigeria.
The commendation is contained in UNODC’s 2025 Annual Report on Cybercrime in Nigeria, which highlights the Centre as a key functional unit strengthening cybersecurity and protecting victims of digital crime.
High-profile arrests put Nigeria on the global map
According to the report, the Cybercrime Centre recently arrested 93 Chinese nationals and other Asian suspects linked to large-scale cyber-enabled crimes.
UNODC said the operation significantly raised the Centre’s profile and demonstrated Nigeria’s increasing capacity to tackle complex, cross-border cybercrime networks.
Cybersecurity analysts say such arrests send a strong signal to international fraud syndicates that Nigeria is no longer a safe haven for cybercriminal operations.
Billions recovered and returned to victims
UNODC also highlighted the Centre’s success in financial recovery, describing it as one of its most impactful achievements.
In 2024 alone, the NPF-NCCC recovered:
₦8.82 billion in illicit proceeds
115,237.91 USDT in cryptocurrency
$84,000 in cash
The report confirmed that all recovered funds were returned to victims, a move experts say builds public trust in law enforcement and encourages more people to report cybercrime.
In addition, the Centre dismantled 685 devices linked to cybercrime activities.
Why it matters
Cybercrime costs Nigeria billions of naira every year, affecting individuals, businesses, and the wider economy.
For everyday Nigerians, it also means a higher chance of getting stolen funds back when cybercriminals are caught.
Global recognition from INTERPOL
The UNODC commendation follows another major international recognition.
The NPF-NCCC was recently named Africa’s Best Cybercrime Unit by INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Directorate in Singapore, outperforming units from 54 African countries.
The Centre has also upgraded its public complaint system to an e-reporting platform, making it easier for victims to report cyber-related crimes without visiting a police station.
What authorities are saying
While presenting copies of the UN report to the Director of the Cybercrime Centre, UNODC reaffirmed its commitment to Nigeria.
The agency said it would continue to support the NPF-NCCC through financial assistance, specialised training, and advanced technological tools to improve operational efficiency.
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, welcomed the recognition.
He commended UNODC for its continued collaboration and reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to ensuring a safer cyberspace for citizens and businesses.
What’s next
UNODC’s continued support is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s ability to investigate digital crimes, recover stolen assets, and disrupt transnational cybercrime networks.
Nigeria’s House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Border Security has pledged to support the Nigeria Police Force in strengthening the country’s border security framework.
The commitment was made during a working visit by the lawmakers to the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
Why it matters
Nigeria’s vast and porous borders have long been linked to insecurity, including smuggling, illegal migration, arms trafficking, and insurgent movements.
Police pledge deeper collaboration
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, reaffirmed the Force’s commitment to tackling border-related security challenges through closer cooperation with the legislature.
He made the remarks while receiving members of the House Committee, describing national security as a “shared responsibility” that requires coordinated strategies and institutional cooperation.
The IGP was represented at the meeting by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, DIG Bzigu Yakubu Kwazhi.
DIG Kwazhi thanked the lawmakers for their proactive engagement, noting that a unified national vision was essential to addressing complex security threats along Nigeria’s borders.
Lawmakers outline priorities
The House Committee delegation was led by its Chairman, Hon. Isah Mohammed Anka, alongside Hon. David Agada, Hon. Davidson Akinlayo Kolawole, Hon. Paul Gowon, Hon. Saba Ahmed Adamu, and the Committee Clerk, Mrs Jemila Umar.
Hon. Anka pledged the committee’s full support for reforms aimed at strengthening border security.
He said the lawmakers would focus on the deployment of modern surveillance technology, improved welfare for officers deployed to border areas, and specialised training for personnel of the Border Patrol Force.
“The committee is committed to making meaningful contributions that will enhance the operational effectiveness of border security officers,” Anka said.
Police Border Patrol reacts
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Border Patrol Force, AIG Nemi Iwoh, welcomed the committee’s intervention.
He said the swift implementation of resolutions reached during the engagement would significantly strengthen Nigeria’s border security architecture.
“Speedy implementation of these resolutions will greatly enhance our operational capacity,” AIG Iwoh said.
What’s next
The Nigeria Police Force said it remains open to sustained collaboration with the National Assembly and other stakeholders to achieve lasting security outcomes.
The Force added that border security reforms would remain a priority under the leadership of IGP Egbetokun.
-
Social Development4 days agoHon Sola Giwa Disburses ₦25m to 500 Lagos Residents Through SEED Initiative
-
Security6 days agoUN Praises Nigeria Police Cybercrime Centre After ₦8.8bn Recovery and Major Arrests
-
Crime6 days agoOyo Attack: Police Arrest Seven Suspects Over Deadly Old Oyo National Park Raid
-
Crime7 days agoOne Assailant Dies as Smugglers Attack Customs Officers in Ogun for Second Time in One Week
-
health5 days agoWorld Cancer Day 2026: Albinism Group Raises Alarm Over Skin Cancer Risk in Nigeria
-
Economy4 days agoMurtala Muhammed Customs Command Generates ₦202.9bn in 2025, Beats Revenue Target
-
Lifestyle5 days agoBetty Irabor Breaks Down as Chude Jideonwo Launches ‘How Depression Saved My Life’
-
Entertainment3 days agoOmotola Rejects Viral Dance Trend in Nollywood Movie Promotion
